Novel articles and associated methods

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides articles such as garments and accessories that incorporate one or more neck ties, and methods for making these articles. The articles may include, but are not limited to, shirts, skirts, pants. outerwear (e.g., jackets, coats, and blazers), accessories (e.g., jewelry, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, pins, belts, sashes, and wallets), and bags (e.g., handbags, shoulder bags, and clutches). The articles can be made almost entirely from neck ties or from a base material that has one or more neck ties attached. The neck ties may be attached together or onto the base material using a suitable fastening means, e.g., sewing, thread, pins, buttons, snaps, hooks, adhesives, zippers, Velcro®, or the like. The neck ties may be “deconstructed” to facilitate their attachment, for example, by removing portions of thread from the tie, and unfolding or removing pieces of fabric from the tie.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to novel articles such as garments andaccessories that incorporate one or more neck ties, and associatedmethods for making the articles.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

A neck tie is typically worn as a separate article that is positionedunderneath the collar of a shirt and tied around a person's neck. Neckties are usually comprised of an elongated piece of fabric having asolid color or patterned design such as stripes, circles, graphicalimages, or the like, and combinations thereof. Neck ties occur invarious shapes and sizes and typically have a front portion with atriangular point and a back portion that is narrower than the frontportion. FIG. 1 depicts a conventional neck tie 2 having two sides 4, 6,a front portion 7, a back portion 8, a front end 9, and a back end 10.FIG. 2 depicts the conventional method of wearing a neck tie to adorn acollared shirt. As shown, the neck tie 18 is positioned underneath theshirt collar 20 and tied in a knot 22 around an individual's neck.Standard types of knots include the Windsor knot and the fore and handknot. The front portion 25 and front end 26 of the tie typically hidethe back portion and back end from view.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides novel articles such as garments andaccessories that incorporate one or more neck ties, and methods formaking these articles. The articles may include, but are not limited to,shirts, skirts, pants, outerwear, accessories, and bags. The articlescan be made almost entirely from neck ties or from a base material thathas one or more neck ties attached. The neck ties can be pre-fabricatedor specifically made for use with the present invention, and they canhave any suitable design, shape, size, color, or pattern. Similarly, thebase material can be pre-manufactured or specifically made for use withthe present invention. The neck ties may be attached together or ontothe base material using a suitable fastening means, e.g., sewing,thread, pins, buttons, snaps, hooks, adhesives, zippers, Velcro®, or thelike, or combinations thereof. The neck ties may be positioned in agenerally vertical, horizontal, or diagonal position with respect to thearticle, and one or more ties may serve as a strap, belt, handle, band,extension, ornamental feature, or similar part of the article. The neckties may be “deconstructed” to facilitate their attachment, for example,by removing portions of thread from the tie, and unfolding or removingpieces of fabric from the tie.

An aspect of the present invention is to provide an article comprising abase material and at least one neck tie that is attached to the basematerial, wherein the at least one neck tie is not a separate articlethat is tied underneath a shirt collar in a conventional manner.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an articlecomprising a plurality of neck ties that are attached together, whereineach neck tie is not a separate article that is tied underneath a shirtcollar in a conventional manner.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide an articlecomprising a neck tie having two ends, and a fastening device fordetachably connecting the ends together, wherein the neck tie is not aseparate article that is tied underneath a shirt collar in aconventional manner.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method of makingan article, the method comprising attaching at least one neck tie to abase material, wherein the at least one neck tie is not a separatearticle that is tied underneath a shirt collar in a conventional manner.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a method ofmaking an article, the method comprising attaching a plurality of neckties together to form the article, wherein each neck tie is not aseparate article that is tied underneath a shirt collar in aconventional manner.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method of makingan article, the method comprising attaching a fastening device to a necktie. wherein the neck tie has two ends, the fastening device detachablyconnects the ends together, and the neck tie is not a separate articlethat is tied underneath a shirt collar in a conventional manner.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel way to useneck ties.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel way torecycle old neck ties.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide articles suchas garments and accessories that are made using neck ties, but not inthe conventional manner in which a neck tie is a separate article thatis tied underneath a shirt collar.

It is another object of the present invention to provide novel straps,handles, belts, and other functional features for articles that are madeusing neck ties.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide articles thatare made using a base material and one or more neck ties.

It is another object of the present invention to provide articles thatare made almost entirely using neck ties.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide articles thatare made using a single neck tie.

These and other objects of the present invention will become morereadily apparent from the following detailed description and appendedclaims.

FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a conventional neck tie.

FIG. 2 is a partial schematic view of a neck tie that is tied underneatha shirt collar in a conventional manner.

FIG. 3 a presents a front elevational view of an article comprising atank top in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 b presents a rear elevational view of the article of FIG. 3 a.

FIG. 4 a presents a front elevational view of an article comprising ahalter top in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 b presents a rear elevational view of the article of FIG. 4 a.

FIG. 4 c presents a right side elevational view of the article of FIGS.4 a and 4 b.

FIG. 5 presents a perspective view of an article comprising a tube topas the base material in accordance with a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 a presents a front elevational view of a bag in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 b presents a rear elevational view of the bag of FIG. 6 a.

FIG. 7 presents a perspective view of an article comprising a skirt thatis made almost entirely made from neck ties in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 a presents a top plan view of an article comprising an accessorythat is almost entirely made from a neck tie in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 b presents a perspective view of the article of FIG. 8 a in aclosed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides articles such as garments and accessoriesthat incorporate one or more neck ties, and methods for making thesearticles. The articles may include, but are not limited to, shirts,skirts, pants, outerwear (e.g., jackets, coats, and blazers),accessories (e.g., jewelry, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, pins, belts,sashes, and wallets), and bags (e.g., handbags, shoulder bags, andclutches), and they may be designed for use in any season—spring,summer, fall, or winter. The articles can be made almost entirely fromneck ties or from a base material that has one or more neck tiesattached. The neck ties can be pre-fabricated or specifically made foruse with the present invention, and they can have any suitable design,shape, size, color, or pattern. Similarly, the base material can bepre-manufactured or specifically made for use with the presentinvention. The neck ties may be attached together or onto the basematerial using a suitable fastening means, e.g., sewing, thread, pins,buttons, snaps, hooks, adhesives, zippers, Velcro®, or the like, orcombinations thereof. The neck ties may be positioned in a generallyvertical, horizontal, or diagonal position with respect to the article,and one or more ties may serve as a strap, belt, handle, band,extension, ornamental feature, or similar part of the article. When aplurality of neck ties are connected together to form a strap or handle,they may be sewn, tied, buttoned, snapped, or otherwise connectedtogether using a suitable fastening device. The neck ties may be“deconstructed” to facilitate their attachment, for example, by removingportions of thread from the tie, and unfolding or removing pieces offabric from the tie.

In a preferred embodiment, one or more neck ties may be attached to abase material, which can be made from a fabric or textile material,including but not limited to cotton, polyester, silk, satin, leather,suede, or a combination thereof, or from plastic or any other suitablenon-fabric material. The base material may comprise a conventional,pre-manufactured article of clothing, for example, a pre-made shirt,skirt, pair of pants, piece of outerwear, accessory, or bag.Alternatively, the base material may be specifically fabricated for usewith the present invention. The base material may have any suitabledesign, shape, size, pattern, or color.

The neck ties can be made from a fabric or textile material, includingbut not limited to cotton, polyester, silk, satin, leather, suede, or acombination thereof, or from plastic or any other suitable non-fabricmaterial. The present invention is not limited to any particular numberof neck ties that are attached to a single article. The neck ties mayhave any suitable design, shape, size, pattern, or color. The neck tiesmay be regular or irregular. When multiple neck ties are used, thedesign, shape, size, pattern, and/or color of each neck tie may differ.The neck ties may be supplied from any suitable source, e.g., a retailstore or flea market. The neck ties may be pre-fabricated or newlyfabricated specifically for use with the present invention. The neckties may be fabricated from one or more pieces of fabric or non-fabricmaterial that are configured to resemble a neck tie, but are notnecessarily suitable for use as a conventional neck tie that adorns ashirt collar. The present invention also contemplates the use of bowties.

The neck ties may be attached to the base material using any suitablefastening means, including but not limited to sewing, thread, pins,buttons, snaps, hooks, adhesives, zippers, Velcro®, or the like, orcombinations thereof. The present invention is not limited to anyparticular placement of the ties along the base material. Each tie maybe positioned in a generally vertical, horizontal, or diagonal directionwith respect to the base material and/or article. Each tie may or maynot touch another tie, and each tie may be positioned in a differentdirection. The ties may be cut, deconstructed, or otherwise manipulated,and they may be fully or partially attached to the base material.

In a preferred embodiment, a shirt may serve as the base material onwhich one or more neck ties are attached. As used herein, the term“shirt” includes, but is not limited to, tee shirts, tank tops, haltertops, tube tops, short-sleeved shirts, long-sleeved shirts, collaredshirts, shirts without collars, button down shirts, zippered shirts, andpull-over shirts. FIG. 3 a presents a front elevational view of anembodiment in which an article (a tank top 30) is made by attaching oneor more ties to a base material comprising a pre-fabricated tank top.FIG. 3 a shows the front of the article 30 where the front portion 32,34 of each neck tie is attached onto the front portion of thepre-fabricated tank top 36. The neck ties are attached to the tank top36 by sewing with thread along the sides 38, 40, 42, 44 of each tie. Thefront end 46, 48 of each tie hangs unattached below the bottom of thetank top. FIG. 3 b presents a rear elevational view of the article 30depicted in FIG. 3 a. The back portion 50, 52 of each neck tie isattached onto the back portion of the pre-fabricated tank top 54. Theback portions of the ties 50, 52 are criss-crossed over each other toform an “X.” The neck ties are attached to the base material by sewingwith thread along the sides 54, 56, 58, 60 of each tie. The back end 62,64 of each tie hangs unattached below the bottom of the tank top.

FIG. 4 a presents a front elevational view of an embodiment of theinvention in which an article (a halter top 68) is made by attaching oneor more neck ties to a base material comprising a tube top. As shown inFIG. 4 a, the front portion of a single neck tie 70 has been cut andattached onto the front portion of a tube top 72. The cut edge of theneck tie has been folded over the edge 74 of the tube top to create aclean line, and the folded edge and the sides of the tie have been sewninto place on the tube top. Two additional neck ties 76, 78 have beensewn on either side of the cut neck tie 70. The front portions of theneck ties 76, 78 are attached to the tube top by sewing with thread, andthe back portions 80, 82 extend around an individual's neck 83 wherethey are tied or otherwise connected together (e.g., by sewing or someother fastening device) to create straps for the halter top 68.

FIG. 4 b presents a rear elevational view of the halter top 68 depictedin FIG. 4 a. Three separate neck ties 84, 86, 88 have been cut andattached onto the back portion of the tube top 90 by sewing with thread.The cut edge of each neck tie has been folded over the edge 92 of thetube top to create a clean line. The folded edge 92 and sides of eachtie have been sewn into place on the tube top. The back portions 80, 82of the ties form straps that are tied in a knot 96 or otherwiseconnected around an individual's neck 83. FIG. 4 c depicts a right sideelevational view of the halter top 68 depicted in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b.

FIG. 5 presents a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention inwhich an article (a belted tube top 104) is made by attaching one ormore ties to a base material comprising a tube top 100. As shown in FIG.5, a neck tie 102 is generally horizontally positioned to run along thebottom edge of a tube top 100. The neck tie 102 may be attached to thebottom edge by sewing with thread, except that the ends 106, 108 of theneck tie are left unattached. The ends 106, 108 may be tied together ina knot 110 or otherwise connected together (e.g., by sewing or someother fastening device) to create a belt or sash. The end result is anarticle comprising a belted tube top 104.

FIG. 6 a presents a front elevational view of an embodiment of theinvention in which an article (a shoulder bag 112) is made by attachingone or more neck ties to a base material comprising a portion of a bag.A single tie 114 has been cut and attached in a generally verticaldirection to a pre-fabricated portion of a bag 116, which is upwardlyopen at the top and sewn closed along the sides and bottom. The bag 116may have a suitable closure device at its open end, e.g., a zipper,clasp, or snap. Two additional ties 118, 120 have been attached to thebag 116 on either side of the cut tie 114. The front portions of theties are attached to the bag 116 by sewing with thread, while the backportions 122, 124 of the ties are left unattached to form a strap orhandle of the bag. The back portions 122, 124 are tied together orotherwise connected using any suitable means, e.g., sewing, thread,pins, buttons, snaps, hooks, adhesives, zippers, Velcro®, or the like.FIG. 6 b presents a rear elevational view of the bag 112. Three ties126, 128, 130 have been cut and attached to the back side of the bag bysewing with thread. Alternatively, the back side of the bag may containone or more whole ties that are configured to form a shoulder strap orhandle.

In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of neck ties may be attachedtogether to form an article such as a shirt, skirt, pair of pants, pieceof outerwear, accessory, or bag. The article can be made almost entirelyfrom neck ties without the use of a base material. The neck ties can bemade from a fabric or a textile material, including but not limited tocotton, polyester, silk, satin, leather, suede, or a combinationthereof, or from plastic or any other suitable non-fabric material. Thepresent invention is not limited to any particular number of neck tiesthat are attached together to form a single article. The neck ties mayhave any suitable design, shape, size, pattern, or color. When multipleneck ties are used, the design, shape, size, pattern, and/or color ofeach neck tie may differ. The neck ties may be supplied from anysuitable source, e.g., a retail store or flea market. The neck ties maybe pre-fabricated or newly fabricated specifically for use with thepresent invention. The neck ties may be fabricated from one or morepieces of fabric or non-fabric material that are configured to resemblea neck tie, but are not necessarily suitable for use as a conventionalneck tie that adorns a shirt collar.

The neck ties may be attached together using any suitable fasteningmeans, including but not limited to sewing, thread, pins, buttons,snaps, hooks, adhesives, zippers, Velcro®, or the like, or combinationsthereof. The present invention is not limited to any particularplacement of the ties. Each tie may be positioned in a generallyvertical, horizontal, or diagonal direction with respect to the article.Each tie may be positioned in a different direction. The ties may becut, deconstructed, or otherwise manipulated.

FIG. 7 presents a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention inwhich an article (a skirt 132) is made almost entirely from neck ties.The skirt 132 is formed by attaching together a plurality of neck ties134 that are positioned in a generally vertical direction with respectto the final assembled skirt, although the present invention is notlimited to any particular placement of the ties. The neck ties 134 arelaid side-by-side and attached together along their edges, preferably bysewing with thread, although any other suitable fastening device may beused. To facilitate the attachment of the ties together, each tie may becut or otherwise deconstructed, allowing the ties to lay flat during andafter the garment's assembly. In addition, the ties may be cut so thatthey are the appropriate length for the final desired garment. In FIG.7, the back portions of the ties have been cut away and the resultingcut edge is attached to a waistband 136.

In another embodiment, a single neck tie may be used to form an article,for example, an accessory. The neck tie may include a suitable fasteningdevice, e.g., a snap, pin, button, clasp, hook, zipper, Velcro®, or thelike, for detachably connecting the ends of the tie together. When theends are connected in a closed position, the article can be worn as abracelet, necklace, belt, or the like. The neck tie may be cut,deconstructed, or otherwise manipulated to facilitate the formation ofthe article.

FIG. 8 a presents a top plan view of an embodiment of the invention inwhich an article (a bracelet, necklace, or belt 140) is made almostentirely from a single neck tie. The back portion 141 of a neck tie iscut, and the cut edge 142 is folded over and sewn with thread 144 tocreate a clean line along the folded edge 146. The tie may be fittedwith the components of a detachable snap 148, or alternatively, a pin,button, clasp, hook, zipper, Velcro®, or other suitable closure, fordetachably connecting the two ends of the tie. FIG. 8 b presents aperspective view of the article 140 depicted in FIG. 8 a with the twoends of the tie connected together in a closed position. With the twoends connected, the article 140 can be worn as a bracelet, necklace, orbelt.

Whereas particular embodiments of this invention have been describedabove for purposes of illustration, it will be evident to those skilledin the art that numerous variations of the details of the presentinvention may be made without departing from the invention as defined inthe appended claims.

1. An article comprising a base material and at least one neck tie thatis attached to the base material, wherein the at least one neck tie isnot a separate article that is tied underneath a shirt collar in aconventional manner.
 2. The article of claim 1, wherein the article isselected from the group consisting of shirts, skirts, pants, outerwear,accessories, and bags.
 3. The article of claim 1, wherein the basematerial is selected from the group consisting of cotton, polyester,silk, satin, leather, suede, and combinations thereof.
 4. The article ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one neck tie is attached to the basematerial by sewing.
 5. The article of claim 1, wherein the at least oneneck tie is oriented in a position with respect to the base materialthat is selected from the group consisting of generally vertically,generally horizontally, and generally diagonally.
 6. The article ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one neck tie comprises a strap of thearticle.
 7. The article of claim 1, wherein the at least one neck tiecomprises a belt of the article.
 8. The article of claim 1, wherein thearticle is selected from the group consisting of tank tops, halter tops,and tube tops.
 9. The article of claim 1, wherein the at least one necktie is deconstructed.
 10. An article comprising a plurality of neck tiesthat are attached together, wherein each neck tie is not a separatearticle that is tied underneath a shirt collar in a conventional manner.11. The article of claim 10, wherein the article is selected from thegroup consisting of shirts, skirts, pants, outerwear, accessories, andbags.
 12. The article of claim 10, wherein the neck ties are attachedtogether by sewing.
 13. The article of claim 10, wherein at least oneneck tie is oriented in a position with respect to the article that isselected from the group consisting of generally vertically, generallyhorizontally, and generally diagonally.
 14. The article of claim 10,wherein at least one neck tie is deconstructed.
 15. An articlecomprising a neck tie having two ends, and a fastening device fordetachably connecting the ends together, wherein the neck tie is not aseparate article that is tied underneath a shirt collar in aconventional manner.
 16. The article of claim 15, wherein the fasteningdevice is selected from the group consisting of snaps, pins, buttons,clasps, hooks, and zippers.
 17. The article of claim 15, wherein thearticle is selected from the group consisting of necklaces, bracelets,and belts.
 18. A method of making an article, the method comprisingattaching at least one neck tie to a base material, wherein the at leastone neck tie is not a separate article that is tied underneath a shirtcollar in a conventional manner.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein thearticle is selected from the group consisting of shirts, skirts, pants,outerwear, accessories, and bags.
 20. The method of claim 18, whereinthe base material is selected from the group consisting of cotton,polyester, silk, satin, leather, suede, and combinations thereof. 21.The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one neck tie is attached tothe base material by sewing.
 22. The method of claim 18, wherein the atleast one neck tie is oriented in a position with respect to the basematerial that is selected from the group consisting of generallyvertically, generally horizontally, and generally diagonally.
 23. Themethod of claim 18, wherein the at least one neck tie comprises a strapof the article.
 24. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least oneneck tie comprises a belt of the article.
 25. The method of claim 18,wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of tank tops,halter tops, and tube tops.
 26. The method of claim 18, wherein the atleast one neck tie is deconstructed.
 27. A method of making an article,the method comprising attaching a plurality of neck ties together toform the article, wherein each neck tie is not a separate article thatis tied underneath a shirt collar in a conventional manner.
 28. Themethod of claim 27, wherein the article is selected from the groupconsisting of shirts, skirts, pants, outerwear, accessories, and bags.29. The method of claim 27, wherein the neck ties are attached togetherby sewing.
 31. The method of claim 27, wherein at least one neck tie isoriented in a position with respect to the article that is selected fromthe group consisting of generally vertically, generally horizontally,and generally diagonally.
 32. The method of claim 27, wherein at leastone neck tie is deconstructed.
 33. A method of making an article, themethod comprising attaching a fastening device to a neck tie, whereinthe neck tie has two ends, the fastening device detachably connects thetwo ends together, and the neck tie is not a separate article that istied underneath a shirt collar in a conventional manner.
 34. The methodof claim 33, wherein the fastening device is selected from the groupconsisting of snaps, pins, buttons, clasps, hooks, and zippers.
 35. Themethod of claim 33, wherein the article is selected from the groupconsisting of necklaces, bracelets, and belts.